New Delhi, May 15
The Delhi Police Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport unit arrested a jewel thief who robbed fliers on board flights.
Identified as Rajesh Kapoor (40), a small time hotelier from Delhi, the accused targeted elderly women passengers carrying handbags, mostly during the boarding process.
The arrest came after a series of thefts were reported on Air India flights, including incidents involving two passengers flying to the US whose jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, respectively, were stolen during their journeys. The police stated that victims, Sudharani Pathuri’s jewellery was stolen on her flight from Hyderabad to Delhi, Varinderjeet Singh’s valuables were stolen on his transit flight from Amritsar to Delhi.
DCP (IGI) Usha Rangnani stated that the Kapoor was a seasoned robber and involved since 2005. After a thorough analysis of CCTV footage from Hyderabad, Delhi and Amritsar airports, he was identified. When the authorities tracked down his number from the airlines, they discovered it was a fake number, registered under someone else’s name. Technical analysis was mounted to find his original phone number, his call record details (CDRs) revealed he lived in Paharganj and switched on his device for a limited period every day".
"Kapoor’s photograph was then circulated and a team conducted searches in the area, leading the police to his doorstep at Ricky Deluxe Guest House, which he owns from where he was arrested. Some more cases may get worked out in due time. The travel history of the accused is also being analysed for the last one year to further unearth his involvement in other similar cases, DCP added.
Interestingly, he used to assume the identity of his deceased brother, Rishi Kapoor, he managed to travel unnoticed, frequently changing seats to remain close to the targets. Kapoor’s extensive travel history, as he travelled on more than 200 flights in the past year alone, raised concerns about his involvement in similar cases across various airports in India.
Additionally, the arrest of Sharad Jain, 46, from Karol Bagh, revealed his involvement as a receiver of stolen jewellery items from Kapoor. Jain’s revelations led to the recovery of melted gold and diamond-like items from his jewellery shop, said the police.
